Tag Archives: poetry

Seeing into Tomorrow: Haiku by Richard Wright, illustrated by Nina Crews
From watching a sunset to finding a beetle, Richard Wright’s haiku puts everyday moments into focus. Paired with the photo-collage artwork of Nina Crews, Seeing into Tomorrow celebrates the lives of contemporary African American boys.

Like this:

We recently heard the news about the death of Richard Wilbur. He wrote poetry for both adults and children, and was also known for translating plays. Click (and scroll down the page) to hear him read “The Opposite of Pillow” (“What is the opposite of pillow? The answer, child, is armadillo…”)

Share this:

Like this:

10 Fascinating Facts About Sharks by Rachel A. Koestler-Grack
Did you know that there are more than 500 species of shark? Or that they range in size from smaller than a ruler to longer than a bus? Those are just some of the fascinating tidbits kids will discover in 10 Fascinating Facts About Sharks.

Amazing Sharks by Steve Parker
Provides an overview of sharks, describing key characteristics of such species as the great white shark, blue shark, sand tiger shark, and whale shark.

Bow Wow by Spencer Quinn
Bowser the mutt lives with eleven-year-old Birdie Gaux and her grandmother in the normally quiet Louisiana bayou town of St. Roch, but news that a Bull shark has somehow made its way into the swamp has everyone excited, and the cash bounty for landing the shark has lured some very shady characters into town–one hunter in particular is prepared to go to any lengths to collect the money.

Deadliest Sharks by Melissa Abramovitz
Profiles some of the world’s deadliest sharks, including the spotted wobbegong, shortfin mako, and bull shark.

If Sharks Disappeared by Lily Williams
A nonfiction picture book tracing the repercussions of what would happen ifsharksdisappeared from our planet.

Sharkpedia by Nancy Ellwood and Margaret Parrish
Through hundreds of photographs, diagrams, maps, and illustrations, readers will learn where sharks lurk, what they eat, and why they do what they do, as well as hear from scientists and shark-attack survivors.

Sharks by Sarah Fowler
Get up close and personal with all kinds of sharks—from bullhead to cow to carpet sharks—and learn how to identify different types, which is strongest, and so much more with this exciting book full of amazing images, fun quizzes, and incredible information.

Sharks and Other Sea Creatures senior editor Carrie Lowe; photographer Ruth Jenkinson
Packed with fun activities, crafts, reading games, and amazing facts, kids can take a dive under the waves and meet all the colorful creatures beneath–from clown fish to starfish to jellyfish–in this educational project book.

Slickety Quick: Poems About Sharks by Skila Brown; illustrated by Bob Kolar
From the enormous whale shark to the legendary great white to the enigmatic goblin shark to the small cookie-cutter shark, SlicketyQuick is a delightful frenzy of shark mayhem. … Sneaky shark facts ripple through each spread to further inform the brave and curious young reader intrigued by the power–and danger–of these amazing creatures.

You might know the work of James Stevenson whether you are a child or a grown-up. He was a cartoonist at the New Yorker for many years. He also illustrated books for children, including his own stories and poetry, poetry by Jack Prelutsky, and stories about “The Pain and the Great One” by Judy Blume. We would be happy to help you find his work in our collection or place a hold on titles available at another library.

Finding Wonders: Three Girls Who Changed Science by Jeannine Atkins
A novel in verse about three girls from different time periods who grew up to become scientists introduces the lives of insect life-cycle artist Maria Merian, fossil pioneer Mary Anning, and comet discoverer Maria Mitchell.

A Kids’ Guide to America’s First Ladies by Kathleen Krull; illustrated by Anna Divito
Examines America‘sfirstladies and how they helped advance women’s rights, political causes and other important progressive changes.

Like this:

Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherford; illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
As slaves relentlessly toiled in an unjust system in 19th century Louisiana, they all counted down the days until Sunday, when at least for half a day they were briefly able to congregate inCongoSquarein New Orleans. Here they were free to set up an open market, sing, dance, and play music. They were free to forget their cares, their struggles, and their oppression. This story chronicles slaves’ duties each day, from chopping logs on Mondays to baking bread on Wednesdays to plucking hens on Saturday, and builds to the freedom of Sundays and the special experience of an afternoon spent in CongoSquare.
This title received honors as a Caldecott Honor Book and a King Illustrator Honor Book this year.

Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph by Roxanne Orgill; illustrated by Francis Vallejo
When Esquire magazine planned an issue to salute the American jazz scene in 1958, graphic designer Art Kane pitched a crazy idea: how about gathering a group of beloved jazz musicians and photographing them? He didn’t own a good camera, didn’t know if any musicians would show up, and insisted on setting up the shoot in front ofa Harlem brownstone. Could he pull it off? In a captivating collection of poems, Roxane Orgill steps into the frame of Harlem 1958, bringing to life the musicians’ mischief and quirks, their memorable style, and the vivacious atmosphere ofa Harlem block full of kids on a hot summer’s day. Francis Vallejo’s vibrant, detailed, and wonderfully expressive paintings do loving justice to the larger-than-life quality ofjazz musicians ofthe era. Includes bios of several ofthe fifty-seven musicians, an author’s note, sources, a bibliography, and a foldout of Art Kane’s famousphotograph.

Let’s Clap, Jump, Sing & Shout; Dance, Spin, and Turn It Out! Games, Songs, & Stories from an African American Childhood collected by Patricia C. McKissack; illustrated by Brian Pinkney
Parents and grandparents will delight in sharing this exuberant book with the children in their lives. Here is a songbook, a storybook, a poetry collection, and much more, all rolled into one. Find a partner for hand claps such as “Eenie, Meenie, Sassafreeny,” or form a circle for games like “Little Sally Walker.” Gather as a family to sing well-loved songs like “Amazing Grace” and “Oh, Freedom,” or to read aloud the poetry of such African American luminaries as Langston Hughes, James Weldon Johnson, and Paul Laurence Dunbar. And snuggle down to enjoy classic stories retold by the author, including Aesop’s fables and tales featuring Br’er Rabbit and Anansi the Spider.

One Last Word: Wisdom from the Harlem Renaissance by Nikki Grimes
In this collection of poetry, Nikki Grimes looks afresh at the poets of theHarlemRenaissance — including voices like Langston Hughes, Georgia Douglas Johnson, and many more writers of importance and resonance from this era — by combining their work with her own original poetry. Using “The Golden Shovel” poetic method, Grimes has written a collection of poetry that is as gorgeous as it is thought-provoking. This special book also includes original artwork in full-color from some of today’s most exciting African American illustrators, who have created pieces of art based on Nikki’s original poems.
Nikki Grimes is the 2017 winner of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for her “substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children.”

A Poem for Peter: The Story of Ezra Jack Keats and the Creation of The Snowy Day by Andrea Davis Pinkney
A celebration of the extraordinary life of Ezra Jack Keats, creator of The Snowy Day. The story of The Snowy Day begins more than one hundred years ago, when Ezra Jack Keats was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. The family were struggling Polish immigrants, and … it was many years before Keats’s greatest dream was realized and he had the opportunity to write and illustrate his own book. For more than two decades, Ezra had kept pinned to his wall a series of photographs of an adorable African American child. In Keats’s hands, the boy morphed into Peter, a boy in a red snowsuit, out enjoying the pristine snow; the book became The Snowy Day, winner of the Caldecott Medal, the first mainstream book to feature an African American child. It was also the first of many books featuring Peter and the children of his — and Keats’s — neighborhood. Andrea Davis Pinkney’s lyrical narrative tells the inspiring story of a boy who pursued a dream, and who, in turn, inspired generations of other dreamers

You Can Fly: The Tuskegee Airmen by Carole Boston Weatherford; art by Jeffery Boston Weatherford
This history in verse celebrates the story of theTuskegeeAirmen: pioneering African-American pilots who triumphed in the skies and past the color barrier.

2016 is the 50th anniversary of the creation of the holiday Kwanzaa. There still aren’t a lot of picture book published about the holiday (Kevin’s Kwanzaa is the only new one in the collection since I last wrote about the topic), so instead I’m going to suggest some titles that go along with the principles of Kwanzaa:

Umoja (unity)

Goal! by Mina Javaherbin
In a dangerous alley in a township in South Africa, the strength and unity which a group of young friends feel while playing soccer keep them safe when a gang of bullies arrives to cause trouble.

Kujichagulia (self-determination)

I, Too, Am America by Langston Hughes, illustrated by Bryan Collier
Presents the popular poem by one of the central figures in the Harlem Renaissance, illustrated with images of Pullman porters and a contemporary child riding the subway.
Some other suggestions for this principle would be Princess Grace or My Friend Maya Loves to Dance (which could both also be used to introduce kente cloth), Thunder Rose (an original tall tale about a girl who starts life by controlling the lightning and picking her own name), or another Langston Hughes poem, My People.

Ujima (collective work and responsibility)

The Hula Hoopin’ Queen by Thelma Lynne Godin, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
Kameeka yearns to continue her hula hooping competition with her rival, Jamara, rather than help prepare for Miz Adeline’s birthday party, and “the itch” almost ruins the party before a surprise ending.

Giant Steps to Change the World by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee, illustrated by Sean Qualls
Pursuing one’s own path in life takes courage, strength, and perseverance, as demonstrated by such inspirational leaders as Barack Obama, Albert Einstein, and Muhammad Ali.

Kuumba (creativity):

Metal Man by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Paul Hoppe
One hot summer day, a man who makes sculpture out of junk helps a boy create what he sees in his mind’s eye.

Never Forgotten by Patricia McKissack, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon, is a fable-like book that brings together themes of family unity and creativity. It’s longer than a standard picture book, but beautifully illustrated throughout. A boy and his father are cruelly separated, and the elements Earth, Fire, Water and Wind bring the father news of the son’s fate. In a note at the end, the author writes, “…I have tried to create a story that addresses the question all of us who are descendants of the Taken ask: ‘Were we missed?’ I answer with a resounding ‘Yes! We were never forgotten.'”

If you would like a book that puts Kwanzaa in a context of other holidays celebrated with candles, fireworks, and festive bonfires, try

Like this:

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 235 other followers

Fountaindale Public Library Comment Policy

Posts containing the following are against library rules and will be deleted before posting or removed by library staff:

• Posts containing personal attacks, insults, profanity, obscenity, threatening language, or harassment;
• Posts that discriminate against specific individuals or groups on the basis of race, religion, national origin, or any other unlawful reason;
• Spam and commercial posts;
• Content that violates a copyright, trademark, or any other law;
• Private and/or personal information about an individual, group, or entity published without consent of that individual, group, or entity;
• Comments that are irrelevant to the original topic, and
• Content in support of or opposition to political campaigns or ballot measures.